South Africa is aiming to host as green a 2010 Soccer World Cup as possible, the government said on Thursday.
”We are committed to ensuring that South Africa learns from the Green Goal experience, which vastly reduced the environmental impact of [this year’s] World Cup that was held in Germany,” Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said in a statement.
He has recently held discussions in Germany with that country’s federal environment minister, the European Environment Commissioner, and key role-players in the German Green Goal initiative.
”South Africa is committed to greening the 2010 World Cup by focusing on the basis of four pillars: conservation of water and energy, waste management, transport and mobility, and a carbon offset campaign.”
Among the techniques used by Green Goal during the 2006 World Cup was the use of renewable energy at stadiums, and greater use of public and non-motorised transport by fans. These measures substantially reduced greenhouse-gas emissions.
The organisers also offset emissions in Germany by supporting clean energy schemes in India and South Africa. — Sapa